Our View: An emergency well-handled at Letourneau

Monday

Jan 9, 2017 at 6:00 AM

The Herald News Editorial Board

THUMBS UP to the smooth evacuation and transfer of students from the Letourneau Elementary School after Wednesday's gas leak at the former New Harbour Mall site. A 3-inch gas main was broken by a backhoe, because it seems Dig Safe, a national group that coordinates pre-marking underground utility lines, had apparently failed to mark it. The 700 students at Letourneau were evacuated to Holy Trinity Church within five minutes of the initial leak alarm, then bused to Durfee High and given lunch before a 3 p.m. dismissal. As Superintendent Matt Malone said, it was great that plans that are largely on paper actually worked well when put into use.

THUMBS UP to the news that Boneheads Unplugged will be expanding to a new establishment on Water Street. Fall River area patrons will now be able to enjoy specialty drinks, desserts and more features popular at Boneheads' West Warwick location, and the move is a sign of continued growth on our waterfront.

THUMBS UP to the Narrows Center for the Arts' annual Winter Blues Festival, which this time, for its fourth year, will introduce its audiences to new acts. The two-day celebration, Jan. 13-14, of the blues features such genres as classic blues, Kansas City- and Chicago-influenced blues, British blues, soulful blues, and others. In the midst of winter, it's great to have such a unique event right here in Fall River to chase away the winter doldrums.

THUMBS UP to Strategic Strength and Conditioning owners Brendan and Elise Ferriera, who are on a mission to get clients in shape for the long haul. Brendan, a disabled veteran who sustained life-threatening injuries as a result of a suicide bombing attack in Afghanistan, has made a name for himself as an adaptive Crossfit competitive athlete and an adaptive coach. Doctors told Brendan he would never run or jump again, and he proved them wrong, which will no doubt inspire and motivate his clients. We also applaud their efforts to support those who continue to serve in the military, as well as public safety first responders, with discounted membership rates.

THUMBS UP to Dr. Arnoldas Giedrimas, the first doctor in the southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island region to implant the world’s smallest pacemaker at Southcoast Health’s Charlton Memorial Hospital. The Medtronic Micra Transcatheter Pacing System does not require any wires or leads, or a surgical pocket under the skin, like traditional pacemakers, and is one-tenth the size a traditional pacemaker. Because of its minute size, the patient does not need to undergo an “open” surgery to place the pacemaker in the chest and leads into the heart. “This is really the beginning of this new technology,” said Giedrimas, a self-proclaimed technology geek. “It’s a new option for patients.”